Timing mechanism



Oct. 27, 1942. F. c. SMITH EIAL 2,299,856 I TIMING MECHANISM Filed March 24, 1939 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 myemara: Fran/r C. Smith and Thamas L.herren 41 for neya Patented Oct. 27, 1942 TIMING MECHANISM Frank C.Smithand Thomas L. Herren,

, Colorado Springs, 0010.

Application March 24, 1939, Serial No. 263,920

12 Claims.

This invention relates to timing mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide means operated synchronouslywith the tick of a Watch of known accuracy, called a standard watch, inconjunction with means operated synchronously with the tick of a watchof unknown accuracy,

and means for observing and accurately determining the interrelativespeeds of said two means.

A further object of the inventionis to provide, in a mechanismincludinga rotor rotated by a motor, means for correcting theirregularities of operation of the motor and causing such rotor torotate in exact synchronism with the tick of a watch.

A further object is the provision of novel means for visualizing theinterrelative speeds of the means operated synchronously with the ticksof the two watches. r

A further object is the provision of a simple, economical, compact anddurable mechanism for the visual comparison of the rapidity of the ticksof a watch of unknown accuracy with the rapidity of the ticks of a watchof known accuracy.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which will morefully appear in the following specification, the invention comprisescertain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, asdescribed in the following specification, and illustrated in theaccompanying illustrative drawings, in which I Fig. 1 is a central,vertical section of the mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a View on line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the casing in section andvation.

Fig. 3 is a detail view on lin 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view of the observation dial in the casing.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of den parts.

Fig. 6 is a detail view partly on line 6 -6 of Fig. 5, the balance beinginelevation.

Fig. '7 is a fragment ofthe parts shown in Fig. 6, illustrating theshutter assembly and as sociated parts in raised position.

Fig. Bis a lay-out of the Wall of the drum.

Anysuitable casing, indicated at'l, and provided with a suitablycalibrated dial 2', may be used. A suitable base 3 rests upon the floorof the casing I and rotatably supports a yoke frame 4, the rotation ofwhich may be provided for in any suitable manner, as by pin 5, suitablesupthe mechanism in ele 5 the shutterassembly, with a portion brokenaway to disclose hidtween base 3 and thelower side 4a of theframe. Theupper side 4b of the frame carries a bearing sleeve 1, rigid with theframe, and in which the shaft 8 rotates.

Afiixed to the lower end of the shaft is a sleeve 9 carrying on itslower extremity a. worm-wheel 10, adapted to mesh with a worm lloperated by a motor I2 supportedon a platform l3 projecting from lowermember 4a of the frame.

A friction disc I4 is affixed to shaft 8 and bears upon the top ofsleeve 1, as at [5.

Drum I5 has" a central depending sleeve l1 slidable and revoluble uponthe upper part of shaft 8 and provided at its lower end with a disc 13adaptedto frictionally engage the disc l4. Armature or rotor l9 isaffixed to sleeve I! and has a plurality of points 20,preferably five innumber, to correspond to the number of ticks ,per second of the largemajority of watches, the

ends of which points project approximately to the end of the core" 2! ofelectro-magnet 22 mounted on bracket 23 supported by the frame 4, themagnet being suitably spaced from the brack et by Washer 24 or othersuitable means.

port, as track 6, being preferably provided ice-- At any suitable placewithin the casing and supported by any suitable means, not shown,

there is provided a microphone 25 having a suitable point 26 for contactwith a watch of known accuracy, the microphone being suitably connected, as indicated, with an amplifier 21, which in turn is connected withthe magnet 22 as illustrated, whereby the tick of the watch throughmicrophone 25 and amplifier 21, will energize ,electro-magnet 22ateachti'ck of the watch.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description thatas 'motor' 12,through worm ll and worm-wheel It, rotates shaft 8 in sleeve 9, disc [4will rotate with the shaft and through the friction between the discs I4and [8 the drum IE will rotate, normally, with the shaft 8. The armaturei9 will likewise rotate with the drum,

being affixed to the sleeve [1.

If, during the rotation above described, any one of the points 2!! iscentrally aligned with the core 2! of the magnet at the time that themagnet is actuated by the tick of the Watch on the microphone 2'5, therotation of the armature l9 will not be interrupted, but if such pointbe to one side or the other of the core of the magnet at the time of theenergizing of the magnet by the tick of the watch, the magnet will drawsuch point into alignment with the core, thus causing a slipping of thesleeve I1 and disc l8 relative to the shaft 8 and the disc I4. Each timethat the watch ticks and energizes the magnet, the

point 28 WhlChlS nearest to the magnet will be drawn into alignment withthe core 2|. The magnet then being immediately de-energized, the discl8, sleeve drum |6, and armature l9 continue their rotation with theshaft 8, interrupted only by subsequent energizing of the magnet 22 bythe tick of the watch when a point is not in alignment with the core 2|.

It will thus be seen that while the drum 6 rotates generally insynchronism with the shaft, the irregularities in such rotationresulting from any variations in the speed of the motor, as, forexample, that resulting from irregularities in the current operating anelectric motor, will be corrected and the drum will rotate in perfectsynchronism with the ticks of the watch.

In the wall 28 of the drum there are provided three rows of holes,designated, respectively, 28a, 28b, and 280. In the row 28a there arefive holes for use in the regulation of what is termed a fivetick watch.Row 28?) has six holes, for use with a six-tick watch, and row 28c haseleven holes, for use With a five-and-one-half-tick watch.

The mechanism thus far described, beginning with the frame 4 and endingwith the wall 28 of the drum, constitute a unit assembly, rotatable assuch upon the base 3 as above described, suitable means, as arm 29afiixed to top 4b of the frame and operable by a control wire 30 whichmay project through the casing in any suitable manner, not shown, forexterior operation, being provided for swinging this assembly to oneside or the other upon the pivot 5 for the purpose hereinafterdescribed. It will be understood that the microphone and amplifier 21may be mounted for movement with the assembly or may be rigidly mountedand connected to the assembly by loose wires.

Yoke 3| is aflixed to the floor of the casing l, as at 32, and surroundsthe assembly above described and supports, centrally within thedrum, thelight and shutter mechanism illustrated in detail at Figs. 5, 6, and 7,comprising the light housing 33, enclosing a suitable lighting element34, the housing being preferably curved outwardly, as at 35, tocorrespond with the curved movement of the shutter hereinafterdescribed. Opposite the lighting element 34 the housing is pro videdwith a slot 36. On the front of the housing and adapted to slide up anddown thereon and to close or uncover the slot 36, is a curtain 3'!.frictionally held in sliding contact with the housing by guides 38soldered or otherwise suitably affixed to the housing, as at 39, thefrictional grip of guides 38 being just suflicient to hold curtain 31against gravity while permitting free movement of the curtain either upor down by shutter arms 42 acting in notches 31a. Outside of the guides38 is a shutter 48 provided with a slot 4| adapted to be aligned withthe slot 36 when the shutter is raised to the proper height for thatpurpose. The shutter is carried on the ends of the shutter arms 42mounted on the magnetactuated levers 43 pivoted at 43a in frame 45afiixed in any suitable manner, as by screw 46,

to the yoke 3|, it being understood that there is'a lever 43 on eachside of the frame 45, each lever carrying an arm 42, and the arms 42being aflixed in the two ends of the shutter 48. The notches 310. areconsiderably wider than the cross-section F ergized, whereby to draw thebar 44 to the core 41 and raise the shutter assembly, as illustrated atFig. '7

The magnet 48 is connected, as illustrated, with an amplifier 49, whichis connected, as illustrated, with a microphone 58 having suitablemeans, as point 5|, for contact with a watch of unknown accuracy.

Pivoted on the yoke 3|, as at 52, is a mask 53 provided with a slot 54,and a flange 55 engaged by an operating hook 56 projecting through thecasing and terminating in a suitable handle 5! whereby the mask 53 maybe raised or lowered so that the slot 54 will uncover one of the rows ofholes 28a, 28b, and 280, as desired, while masking the other two rows ofholes.

The relative positions of slot 36, curtain 3'! and shutter 48, at thebeginning of the upward movement of arms 42, are shown at Figs. 5 and 6where arms 42 are shown in contact with the upper edges of notches 31a,lifting curtain 31 as well as shutter 48 and, while in this position,slot 4| is above curtain 3?. Accordingly, as arms 42 continue theirupward movement slot 4| aligns with slot 36 while curtain 3? is stillbelow slot 4|, so that light from the light-source 34 shines throughslots 36 and 4| and on to the wall 28 of the drum and through the holes28a, 28b, and 280 therein, but only that light passing through the holesaligned with slot 54 in the mask 53, will reach the dial 2.

Arms 42 continue upwardly until curtain 31 covers slot 36, and the partsare so proportioned that arms 42 reach their upward limit as soon asslot 36 is covered by curtain 31. At this point the magnet 48 isde-energized, releasing levers 43, whereupon shutter 48 and arms 42 dropby gravity, but curtain 31 is frictionally held over slot 36 by guides38 until arms 42 contact the lower edges of notches 31a, by which timeslot 4| has dropped below the top of curtain 31 so that when the arms 42carry curtain 3'! down below, and uncovers slot 36, the solid part ofshutter 48, above slot 4|, will continue to act as a screen preventingprojection of light from. slot 36 to the wall 28 of the drum. Suitablestops, not shown, are preferably provided to positively limit the upwardand downward movement of arms 42 to prevent momentum carrying the armsbeyond the desired point.

The above operative cycle is almost instantaneous, the result beingsimply a flash on wall 28 and through the holes therein at each suchoperation of the shutter assembly.

In operation of this mechanism, in regulating watches, a standardwatch-one of known accuracyis placed in contact with microphone 25 andthe watch to be regulated is placed in contact with the microphone 58and motor I2 is started. Mask 53 is raised or lowered to bring slot 54in front of that row of holes in wall 28 which is coordinated with thetick of the watch on the microphone 25, namely, in front of row 2811 ifit be a five-tick watch, row 282; if it be a six-tick watch, and row 280if it be a five-andone-half-tick watch. Flashes will then appear on dial2 and may appear on either side of center or zero line, a flashappearing as each hole in the selected row in wall 28 passes in front ofthe shutter assembly.

Control wire 38 is now operated to swing the rotatable assembly, onpivot 5, one way or the other until the flashes on the dial coincidewith the center or zero line which indicates that the tick of the watchon microphone 58 is flashing light throughslots 36 and 4| at'the'instant that the tick of the standard watch on microphone 25 hasbrought one of the holes in wall 28 to a point directly behind suchcenter line.

The microphone is now set for the test and is allowed to continue inoperation, as thus set, and from this point, movement of the flash pointon the dial 2 away from the-center line in either direction willindicate mal-timing of the watch on microphone 53, the nature and degreeof a which real-timing may be determined as follows:

If the flash point on the dial moves in a direction opposite to thedirection of rotation of the drum, the watch on microphone D is tickingfaster than the standard watch, thereby flashing light through slots 36and ll and thence through one of the holes in wall 2t, through slot 54and on to dial 2 before the tick of the standard Watch has brought thathole to the point immediately behind the centercr zero line on the dial.

If the fiash point on the dial moves in the direction of rotation of thedrum, then the watch on microphone 5c is ticking slower than thestandard Watch, thereby flashing light through the slots and the'hcleand onto the dial after the tick of the standard watch has brought thathole past the point immediately behind the center or zero line on thedial.

The extent of movement of the flash on the dial for any given period,preferably one minute," is noted, and that period is multiplied by thenumber of times it occurs in 24 hours. For example, if the period be oneminute, the extent of variation during that minute is multiplied by1440. The result is the total variation of the two watches during atwenty-fo-ur-hour period and,

given this data, a watch regulator will have no difflculty in regulatingthe watch on microphone 55 to eliminate such variation.

The microphone so may be mounted in any manner or position desired, asupon a tipping table or other device, in order that the watch to beregulated may be tested in any desired position.

This invention has been described in terms of its application to adevice primarily constructed for the comparison of speeds of twowatches, but it will be obvious that the structures included in thismechanism may be used for various purposes, and patent protection is notsought simply on the particular application of the invention as hereindescribed and drawn for illustrative purposes.

Many details of construction have been herein described and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, but various equivalent modifications andalternatives will occur to those skilled in the art, and the inventionand application are not to be construed as limited to such details butto include such equivalent modifications and alternatives.

We claim:

1. In timing mechanism, a plurally apertured movable screen, means formoving the screen, means activated by and synchronously with the tick ofa watch adapted to modify the movement of said screen whereby to causethe apertures to pass a given point successively in synchronism with theticks of said watch, an assembly activated by the tick of a second watchand adapted to project, onto said screen, light in flashes synchronouslywith the ticks of said second Watch, said apertures being arranged in aplurality of series respectively coordinated with various the firstwatch, whereby to cause an unmasked aperture to pass the given point ateachtick of the first Watch.

4. In timing mechanism, a light-flashing assembly' comprising a lightsource in a housing having an aperture, a'reciprocating shutter havingan aperture and adapted to be reciprocated in front of the housingaperture, the shutter masking the housing aperture except when, duringreciprocation, the shutter aperture aligns with the housing aperture,and a curtain associated with the shutter and adapted to mask thehousing aperture during the passage of the shutter aperture past thehousing aperture in one direction.

5.121 timing mechanism, a light-flashing assembly comprising a lightsource in a housing having an aperture, a reciprocating shutter havingan aperture and adapted to be reciprocated in front of the housingaperture, the shutter masking the housing aperture except when,dur-

ing reciprocation, the shutter aperture aligns with the housingaperture, and a curtain associated with, but reciprocable relative to,the shutter and provided with a retarder, whereby the curtain is adaptedto mask the housing aperture during the passage of the shutter aperturepast the housing aperture in one direction.

6. In timing mechanism, a light-flashingassembly comp-rising a lightsource in a housing having an aperture, a reciprocating shutter hav-,

ing an aperture and adapted to be reciprocated in front of the housingaperture, the shutter masking the housing aperture except when, duringreciprocation, the shutter aperture aligns with the housing aperture,and a curtain associated with the shutter and adapted to mask thehousing aperture during the passage of the shutter aperture past thehousing aperture in one direction, and swinging arms carrying theshutter and the curtain, and means activated by and synchronously withthe tick of a watch for swinging said arms and reciprocating saidshutter and curtaint 7. In timing mechanism, a light-flashing assemblycomprising a light source in a housing having an aperture, areciprocating shutter having an aperture and adapted to be reciprocatedin front of the housing aperture, the shutter masking the housingaperture except when, during reciprocation, the shutter aperture alignswith the housing aperture, and a curtain associated with, butreciprocable relative to, the shutter and provided with a retarder,whereby the curtain is adapted to mask the housing aperture during thepassage of the shutter aperture past the housing aperture in onedirection, and swinging arms affixed to the shutter and loosely engagingthe curtain, and means activated by and synchronously with the tick of awatch for swinging said arms and reciprocating said shutter and curtain.

,8. In timing mechanism, a drum, spaced series of apertures in thewallsof the drum, respectively coordinated with various standard Watch ticks,a dial aligned with said apertures, means to selectively mask all butone of said series, means to rotat said drum at a rate to cause saidapertures in the unmasked series to pass a given point on the dialsynchronously with the ticks of a watch, means within the drum toproject light through said apertures onto said dial, means for flashingsaid light in synchronisrn with the ticks of a second watch, whereby thelight projected through said apertures will strike said dial at pointssuccessively changing according to the variation between the ticks ofsaid two watches.

9. In timing mechanism as defined in claim 8, said spaced series ofapertures comprising; a plurality of horizontal series of apertures inthe wall of the drum and said masking means comprising a verticallymovable, horizontally slotted mask adapted to uncover a selected seriesof apertures While masking the other series of apertures.

10. In a structure having an aperture adapted to permit passage of lighttherethrough, means for intermittently opening and masking saidstructure aperture comprising a reciprocating shutter having an apertureand adapted to be reciprocated across the structure aperture and to maskthe structure aperture except when, during reciprocation, the shutteraperture aligns with the structure aperture and a curtain associatedwith the shutter and adapted to mask the structure aperture during thepassage of the shutter aperture past the structure aperture in onedirection only.

11. In timing mechanism, a light-flashing assembly comprising a lightsource in a housing having an aperture, a reciprocating shutter havingan aperture and adapted to be reciprocated in front of the housingaperture, the shutter masking the housing aperture except when, duringreciprocation, the shutter aperture aligns with the housing aperture,and a curtain associated with the shutter and adapted to mask thehousing aperture during the passage of the shutter aperture past thehousing aperture in one direction only, and means activated by andsynchronously with the tick of a watch for reciprocating said shutterand curtain.

12. In timing mechanism, a light-flashing assembly comprising a lightsource in a housing having an aperture, a reciprocating shutter havingan aperture and adapted to be reciprocated in front of the housingaperture, the shutter masking the housing aperture except when, duringreciprocation, the shutter aperture aligns with the housing aperture,and a curtain associated with, but reciprocable relative to, the shutterand provided with a retarder, whereby the curtain is adapted to mask thehousing aperture during the passage of the shutter aperture past thehousing aperture in one direction only, and means activated by andsynchronously with the tick of a watch for reciprocating said shutterand curtain.

FRANK C. SMITH. THOMAS L. HERREN.

